Sealing fastener

ABSTRACT

A plastic sealing fastener includes a fixing member, a latching ribbon formed on the fixing member and at least one locking portion. The locking portion is for locking the latching ribbon in the fixing member. The fixing member includes a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, a first covering portion formed on the first surface and a second covering portion formed on the second surface. The first covering portion defines a first covering hole. The second covering portion defines a second covering hole. The at least one locking portion is formed on a side surface of the second covering hole. A depth of the second covering hole exceeds twice the length of the locking portion; and a depth of the first covering hole exceeds the length of the locking portion.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to two co-pending U.S. patent applicationswhich are application serial no. [to be determined], with AttorneyDocket US37708 and US37712, and entitled “SEALING FASTENER”. In theco-pending applications, the inventor is LEI ZHANG. The co-pendingapplication have the same assignee as the present application. Thedisclosure of the above identified application is incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to security, and especially toa plastic sealing fastener for securing closures.

2. Description of Related Art

A commonly used plastic sealing fastener includes a fixing member and alatching strip thereon. The fixing member defines a locking hole. Thelatching strip is latched in the locking hole for securing a closure.However, the plastic sealing fastener is easily unlocked by moving thelatching strip with an ordinary tool like a metal strip.

Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, theemphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principlesof the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like referencenumerals designate corresponding parts throughout the views.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a plastic sealingfastener including a fixing member and a cover.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the plastic sealing fastener of FIG. 1,shown in another aspect.

FIG. 3 is a cross section of a plastic sealing fastener of FIG. 2, takenalong the line III-III.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an embodiment of a plastic sealing fastener200 includes a substantially rectangular fixing member 21, a firstcovering portion 22, a second covering portion 23, an elastic lockingportion 24 (FIG. 3) and a latching ribbon 25. The fixing member 21 is aboard, and includes a first surface 211 and a second surface 213opposite to the first surface 211. The first covering portion 22 isformed on the first surface 211; the second covering portion 23 isformed on the second surface 213. The latching ribbon 25 is formed at anend of the fixing member 21.

Also referring to FIG. 3, the first covering portion 22 is a rectangularfrustum pyramid. The first covering portion 22 defines a rectangularfirst covering hole 221. The second covering portion 23 is similar tothe first covering portion 22 in shape. The second covering portion 23defines a rectangular second covering hole 231. Both the first andsecond covering holes 221, 231 extend into the fixing member 21 andcommunicate with each other. In the illustrated embodiment, a width ofthe first covering hole 221 is less than that of the second coveringhole 231; a depth H1 of the first covering hole 221 is less than a depthH2 of the second covering hole 231. Alternatively, the depth H2 of thesecond covering hole 231 may be equal to the depth H1 of the firstcovering hole 221.

The locking portion 24 is angled on an inner surface of the secondcovering hole 231, and extends away from the first covering hole 231. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the locking portion 24 includes a pair ofelastic teeth 241 symmetrically positioned in the second covering hole231 partially covering the first covering hole 221. The depth H1 of thefirst covering hole 221 exceeds a length of the tooth 241; the depth H2of the second covering hole 231 exceeds twice the length of the tooth241.

The latching ribbon 25 forms a plurality of longitudinal V-shapedlatching portions 251 on both side surfaces thereof. The latchingportions 251 are arranged in pairs, for receiving the locking portion24. In the illustrated embodiment, a distance between the vertices ofeach pair of the latching portions 251 is substantially equal to thewidth of the first covering hole 221.

In use, a free end of the latching ribbon 25 away from the fixing member21 passes through a structure or object to be sealed, and is then bentand received in the first covering hole 221. The latching ribbon 25resists and deforms the teeth 241 in the direction of insertion, thuspassing through the second covering hole 231, and finally exiting thefixing member 21. After the deformation of the teeth 241 is recovered,each tooth 241 latches one of the latching portions 251 to fix or lockthe latching ribbon 25 in the first covering hole 221. The plasticsealing fastener 200 must then be destroyed to release the seal. Sincethe depth H1 of the first covering hole 221 exceeds the length of thetooth 241, and the depth H2 of the second covering hole 231 exceedstwice the length of the tooth 241, removal using simple tools such asthe metal strips is thereby prevented. The distance between the verticesof each pair of the latching portions 251 is substantially equal to thewidth of the first covering hole 221, and the latching ribbon 25completely covers the first covering hole 221, to further limittampering.

It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will beunderstood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent thatvarious changes may be made thereto without departing from the spiritand scope of the disclosure or sacrificing all of its materialadvantages.

1. A plastic sealing fastener comprising: a fixing member comprising afirst surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; afirst covering portion formed on the first surface, the first coveringportion defining a first covering hole; a second covering portion formedon the second surface, the second covering portion defining a secondcovering hole, the second covering hole communicating with the firstcovering hole; a latching ribbon formed on the fixing member; and alocking portion, wherein the locking portion is formed on an innersurface of the second covering hole for locking the latching ribbon inthe fixing member, a depth of the second covering hole exceeds twice thelength of the locking portion, a depth of the first covering holeexceeds the length of the locking portion.
 2. The plastic sealingfastener of claim 1, wherein a width of the second covering hole exceedsa width of the first covering hole.
 3. The plastic sealing fastener ofclaim 2, wherein the locking portion is adjacent to the first coveringhole.
 4. The plastic sealing fastener of claim 1, wherein the lockingportion comprises a pair of teeth, and each tooth is angled on the sidewall of the second covering hole, and extending away from the firstcovering hole.
 5. The plastic sealing fastener of claim 4, wherein thelatching ribbon forms a plurality of latching portions thereon, and eachlatching portion comprises a latching surface engaging with the lockingportion.
 6. The plastic sealing fastener of claim 5, wherein theplurality of the latching portions are arranged on both surfaces of thelatching ribbon, and the pair of teeth are symmetrically positioned onthe side wall of the second covering hole.
 7. The plastic sealingfastener of claim 6, wherein a distance between the vertices of eachpair of the latching portions is substantially equal to the width of thefirst covering hole.
 8. A plastic sealing fastener comprising: a fixingmember comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite to thefirst surface; a first covering portion formed on the first surface, thefirst covering portion defining a first covering hole; a second coveringportion formed on the second surface, the second covering portiondefining a second covering hole, the second covering hole communicatingwith the first covering hole; a latching ribbon on the fixing member;and a pair of elastic teeth formed on an inner surface of the secondcovering hole, wherein the pair of teeth are capable of elasticallydeforming towards the inner surface of the second covering hole, therebyallowing the latching ribbon to pass through into the second coveringhole and locking the latching ribbon, a depth of the second coveringhole exceeds twice the length of the locking portion, and a depth of thefirst covering hole exceeds the length of the locking portion.
 9. Theplastic sealing fastener of claim 8, wherein a width of the secondcovering hole exceeds a width of the first covering hole.
 10. Theplastic sealing fastener of claim 9, wherein the locking portion isadjacent to the first covering hole.
 11. The plastic sealing fastener ofclaim 8, wherein each tooth is angled on the side wall of the secondcovering hole, and extending away from the first covering hole.
 12. Theplastic sealing fastener of claim 8, wherein the latching ribbon forms aplurality of latching portions thereon, and each latching portioncomprises a latching surface engaging with the locking portion.
 13. Theplastic sealing fastener of claim 12, wherein the plurality of thelatching portions are arranged on both surfaces of the latching ribbon,and the pair of teeth are symmetrically positioned on the side wall ofthe second covering hole.
 14. The plastic sealing fastener of claim 13,wherein a distance between the vertices of each pair of the latchingportions is substantially equal to the width of the first covering hole.